Quinn reluctant to expand gambling

ANDY BROWNFIELD

Friday

May 27, 2011 at 12:01 AMMay 27, 2011 at 2:12 AM

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn wouldn’t bet on slot machines coming to the Illinois State Fairgrounds any time soon, though a measure to greatly expand gambling opportunities statewide gained new life in the Illlinois House Friday.

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn wouldn’t bet on slot machines coming to the Illinois State Fairgrounds any time soon, though a measure to greatly expand gambling opportunities statewide gained new life in the Illlinois House Friday.

“Gambling sounds good if you say it fast,” Quinn said Friday. “This proposal to have slot machines at the state fair, I’m not at all excited about that.”

Quinn said he wants the Illinois State Fair to remain a family-oriented event and he thinks more gambling would undermine that. People already can place bets on harness races during the fair.

Quinn didn’t promise a veto of the gambling expansion plan.

However, he said, “We can’t have a top-heavy proposal in Illinois on gambling that’s going to make us the Las Vegas of the Midwest. The people don’t want that.”

The gambling bill had failed in a House committee Wednesday, but got committee approval Friday after sponsor Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, amended the measure. The changes involve labor agreements at racetracks and designating some gambling proceeds for the Foreclosure Prevention Fund.

The bill would allow five new casinos in Illinois and permit slot machines at horse-racing tracks, including the track at the state fairgrounds.

Horse racing could take place for up to nine months of the year at the fairgrounds, and slot machine gambling would be permitted whenever racing takes place.